Chapter 874 - 309: Is This the Divine Tomb? (Update 1)
The golden glow receded, revealing the figures of everyone present.
At this moment, they stood in a desolate location, as if surrounded by a vast chaos.
On this blood-hued barren land, the only different tint was the spotless, sacred archway not far away. That archway was incredibly tall, and by eye measurement, it was estimated to be a hundred zhang high.
The stone pillars supporting the archway required ten people holding hands to encircle them completely.
At the top of the archway hung a plaque, carved with beautiful and harmonious cloud patterns, exuding an unparalleled sanctity.
Yet, a single character ’墓’ (Tomb) carried a hint of deathly aura, sending chills down one’s spine.
"Is this the Divine Tomb?" Mu Qingge gazed at the plaque and the vast scenery around, marveling in her heart.
"We’ve reached the Divine Tomb!"
"We’ve entered!"
"Go! What are we waiting for!" Suddenly, a shout burst from the crowd, stunned by the scene before them. This shout awakened the shocked onlookers, who all began to sprint wildly towards the archway.
"We should go too. This is the first tomb gate of the Divine Tomb, and the opening time is limited. If we delay, we’ll likely be kept outside the Divine Tomb," Yao Xinghai reminded.
Mu Qingge nodded, glanced at the others, and softly said, "Let’s go."
At her command, the five of them joined the crowd, rushing towards the first tomb gate. The speed of these five was incredibly fast, continuously surpassing those in front, drawing closer to the first tomb gate.
In an instant, Mu Qingge had already reached beneath the tomb gate.
She did not slow her pace but dashed directly through. As she rushed through the tomb gate, she suddenly felt her body pressed.
It was as if she pierced through a transparent barrier, squeezing herself in.
Upon breaking through that barrier, she staggered slightly inside, standing her ground, and curiously turned to look behind her. Following her, Ji Yaohua, Ying Ze, Yao Xinghai, and Wei Molili burst through one after another, standing to her sides.
Others were also rushing in continuously.
However, Mu Qingge’s eyes suddenly narrowed, gazing outside the tomb gate at the dozen or so people blocked and bounced back, her lips pressed tight.
"Let us in!"
"Let us in!"
"Please let us in—!"
The dozen or so people blocked outside appeared thwarted by an invisible force, unable to enter the archway, only able to stand outside, pounding desperately.
Through their pounding, Mu Qingge saw layers of ripples appearing in the empty space, continuously spreading outwards.
"Their speed was too slow," Ying Ze whispered beside her.
Because they were slow, they could not enter.
Even before starting, they’ve lost their chance at contending for the Divine Status.
"What will happen to them?" Mu Qingge asked, hands behind her back.
Ji Yaohua shrugged, "Nothing much, they just can’t enter, and they’ll have to wait outside for three months before being automatically sent out by the Divine Tomb."
"That’s not so bad, at least they don’t have to face various dangers inside the Divine Tomb, preserving their lives," Yao Xinghai added.
Ying Ze, however, solemnly added, "But, they’ve also lost the chance to obtain the Divine Status."
Everything has its positive and negative sides. How one views it and makes choices is entirely personal. Yet, sometimes facing despair, how could one not know, it is another kind of opportunity?
"Let’s go," Mu Qingge withdrew her gaze and turned to say.
The people who rushed through the first tomb gate had already headed deeper. Now, they too must do the same.
After passing the first tomb gate, the surroundings changed again.
It seemed to turn into an open, yet solemn and majestic place. This was an enclosed space. Above, thick clouds loomed, shrouded in a dense layer of clouds, occasionally letting through some light, unsure whether it was starlight or something else.
Surrounding them were walls, stone pillars, and the ground was paved with stone slabs, flat and vast.
At the end of this chamber stood twelve colossal doors. These twelve doors were tall and erect, their tops already disappearing into the clouds.
On the stone doors, different Divine Beasts were carved, their expressions fierce and imposing.
Among the twelve Divine Beasts were the Dragon Clan and the Phoenix Clan... Mu Qingge even spotted the figure of a Hou on one of the doors. Some of these twelve Divine Beasts were familiar to Mu Qingge, like the Nine-tailed Celestial Fox. Some, she did not recognize.
Everyone who rushed in here had stopped outside these twelve massive doors, hesitating.
"This second tomb gate represents twelve different zones within the Divine Tomb. What exists in each zone depends entirely on luck. Not every zone has a Divine Status present; perhaps one of them leads to a death trap within the Divine Tomb," Yao Xinghai lowly introduced next to Mu Qingge.
"No wonder Xi Qianxue said to meet at the second tomb gate!" At this moment, Mu Qingge understood Xi Qianxue’s previous words.
If they passed through different doors, wouldn’t it be difficult to encounter each other?
Compared to those familiar with the Divine Tomb, Mu Qingge naturally did not know as much as these descendants of the Ancient Clan. Even though she had the backing of the Sang Clan, the information provided by the Sang Clan was not as detailed.
Because the Sang Clan had already missed three opportunities when the Divine Tomb opened.
Everyone who entered here was hesitating about which door to choose to enter the Divine Tomb.
They were not in a hurry, and naturally, neither were Mu Qingge and her companions.
Almost everyone was gathered around the twelve tomb doors, pondering which one to choose.
At this moment, someone cautiously approached Mu Qingge and her companions. As she turned to look, the person immediately halted their steps, standing nervously in place, clasping their hands in respect, and carefully asked, "I... I wonder which door Mu City Lord and you all wish to enter."
Mu Qingge raised an eyebrow, smiling with a hint of amusement.
Her gaze swept across and she noticed quite a few people secretly straining their ears, listening to their conversation. Even this place seemed to have quieted down somewhat.
Mu Qingge found it amusing and retorted, "Do you hope to enter the same door with us, or do you wish to take different doors?"
The person showed a fleeting moment of embarrassment and laughed awkwardly, "Of... of course, I hope to take a different door. How can my insignificant skills dare to compete with you all?" As he spoke, his voice became increasingly softer towards the end.
His words were also straightforward.
Many others, particularly the younger ones, held similar thoughts, waiting for Mu Qingge’s response.
However, Mu Qingge merely smiled and replied, "Nothing has been decided yet."
Uh...
Her answer left everyone stunned, displaying expressions of bewilderment. The person who came to inquire was also left in place, somewhat at a loss.
They haven’t decided yet, so what should they do?
As many people found themselves in a dilemma, a contemptuous voice suddenly snorted, "Hmph, a group of timid people, do they deserve to enter the Divine Tomb?"
His voice was just loud enough for everyone to hear.
Mu Qingge raised her eyes to look, but only saw a reckless figure rushing toward the third gigantic door.
As he entered, the door engraved with the Divine Beast seemed to melt, automatically creating ripples and revealing a passage wide enough for one person.
Without looking back, he rushed inside, and the stone door returned to its original state.
With his move, some other old eccentrics couldn’t help but choose a door for themselves and rushed inside.
However, many people were still hesitant, waiting and observing.
Mu Qingge noticed that the Three-legged Golden Crow, Heavenly Net Lord, and Lin Xuanfeng, previously mentioned by Ying Ze, were still outside, seemingly waiting while closing their eyes for meditation.
However, they were not waiting for Mu Qingge’s decision but rather for each other’s choices.
The inquirer collected his awkward expression, chuckled, and took his leave. Not being able to glean Mu Qingge’s choice left many others rather disappointed.
Some more determined individuals gritted their teeth and chose different massive doors to jump into.
But those who were genuinely concerned about Mu Qingge’s group’s strength still hesitated, occasionally glancing sideways at the five of them.
At this moment, someone once again walked towards Mu Qingge and her location.
Their actions took many young ones by surprise.
"Xi the Goddess is walking toward them too!"
"Could it be, she wants to probe their intentions as well?"
"What the..."
"What do you mean what the... Before Mu City Lord appeared, Xi the Goddess was in the top five of the Green Talent List, but now she’s been pushed down to sixth. Plus, since the news that Mu City Lord is a woman spread, many people have been comparing the two women openly and discreetly..."
"What’s the result of the comparison?"
"What do you think? Naturally, Xi the Goddess didn’t compare favorably to Mu City Lord. I reckon the Goddess’s thunder has been stolen, and encountering each other again in the Divine Tomb, a bloody storm might ensue!"
"Then wouldn’t there be a good show to watch? Xi the Goddess is a cherished disciple of the Divine Venerable from the Divine Hall, surely she boasts an arsenal of skills to restrain the five, which is beneficial to us!"
In an instant, countless curious and expectant eyes fell onto Xi Qianxue.
But Xi Qianxue seemed oblivious, walking straight toward Mu Qingge’s group without averting her gaze. She approached directly, nodding to the others amid Yao Xinghai’s astonishment, then looked at Mu Qingge with a faint smile, "Let’s go."
What!
Just when everyone thought a thrilling showdown was about to commence, Xi Qianxue’s words left everyone stunned.
She wasn’t here to provoke?
No! That isn’t the key point! The key point is why Xi the Goddess uttered those words.
Amid the crowd’s shock, Mu Qingge also smiled, nodding at Xi Qianxue, "Alright. Do you have any good suggestions?" She believed Xi Qianxue had been in the Divine Hall for years, surely she knew better which door to enter.
Indeed, Xi Qianxue didn’t disappoint them, smiling and nodding. She said to them, "Follow me."
What is happening?
So much for holding grudges and harboring mutual resentment?
What’s the purpose of being so amicable?
Mu City Lord, Xi the Goddess, don’t hold back with your feelings, freely express them in front of us! If you fight, we will rejoice!
Countless people silently anticipated!
"Wait, don’t tell me, we have the Goddess as our ally," finally, Yao Xinghai voiced what was on everyone’s mind.